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Hire me, please: Find out what to say and do in an interview, and how to get the money you want
So you polished up your resume and cover letter and a company is interested and biting. What do you do now? What do you wear? When do you arrive? What do you say during the interview? And how do you get the money (and benefits) you think you deserve?
Again, we went to the experts and asked the people who sit on the other side of the interview table for some advice.
Preparing for the interview
Do your homework on the company. Take a look at the company's Web site to find out all you can about it, even more than the position you are applying for.
Interview the employer, just as they are interviewing you. This will be your home away from home, so make sure you know what type of atmosphere the company has. Many companies are including this type of information on their Web sites.
Dress to make your best impression. A suit always does that. Walk in looking like a million bucks, and you will come off as someone who can be taken seriously.
Avoid wrinkled clothing. During this time of year, it is hard to avoid wrinkles, but try to stay as clean and presentable as possible.
If you are running late, call. In this area, people will understand if you are caught in traffic. Call and let them know you are running late.
Don't show up more than 15 minutes early. People have schedules, and sometimes they will be able to see you early. But you run the risk of interrupting their schedule.
Don't bring anyone with you to an interview. If someone comes with you to an interview, have them wait in the car or drop them off at a nearby coffee shop.
Clean up your MySpace and Facebook page. Managers do get on these sites and look up the candidate. These sites are a great reflection of a candidate. Once the information is out there, it is hard to forget. And while it shouldn't, it can potentially lower the respect a manager has for a candidate, overshadowing the specific job qualities.
The interview
Be polite to everybody in the office. The receptionist in my office is my first litmus test on a candidate. If you are rude to someone in the office, it will get back to the managers. And you never know who is sitting behind the front desk. Just remember, once you walk in the door to an office, you are in a glass cage.
Body language is key. Maintain eye contact and keep your hands on your lap or at your side.
Don't look bored. Try to convey enthusiasm. Leaning in a little shows that you are listening and are interested.
Answer questions with your answer. Don't go on and on with your answer. Answer the question they ask and then stop.
Don't get flustered. If you don't know the answer to a question, take a moment and compose your thoughts. If you get a ringer of a question, it is perfectly okay to say, “Let me take a moment.”
Don't give away personal information. It is amazing what people will volunteer when they get flustered. You are there to interview for a specific job. Keep answers relevant to the position, not your personal life.
When you throw a grenade, how do you recover? If you say something and as soon as it is out of your mouth, you wish you could take it back, say something like, “well, seriously” or make some type of transition. There is nothing wrong with joking. Everyone is human and an interview is an intense situation. It is actually a good way to see how the employers will react to something like that. It tells a little bit about everybody in the interview.
Don't put on a show if that is not who you are. Candidates should be themselves.
Managers know what you're going through. They know you will be nervous and they take that into account. Try to stay calm.
Try to ask questions of the employer. If you can't think of a direct question, ask about the process of the next step. Ask if there is any additional information you should know. Just get some question out there so they know you are there and paying attention.
Negotiating pay
Don't ever talk about the pay or schedule before they offer you the job. If they offer the job, they want to hire you and they will work out the details to get you there.
Know the ballpark range for what you should be getting paid. The salary dance is a big one and there are a lot of different viewpoints about it. Go online to a site like salary.com to get an idea of what you should be making.
If they ask for salary requirements, give them. If the position states that you must give salary requirements, it would be wise to give them. If they don't ask specifically, give a range.
Consider all factors when it comes to pay. Negotiating a salary is more than the final number. Look at benefits, gas (if you save on it because you are locating closer to home) and flexibility of hours, whether that is telecommuting or more vacation time. Look at the whole package.
Ten percent more is a good increase if applying for a promotional job. If you the new position would be a bump up from the one you have, 10 percent is a good jump in salary.
Ask the employer for a range of the position salary allotment. It is completely legitimate that the employer will want to make some gain in revenue from the previous employee who held the position, but asking for a range is a good way to start negotiation talks.
You have to be honest about your needs. If they extend an offer, they really want you. There is only so far an employer can go in regard to salary. Sometimes they have a lot of play, sometimes they have none.
You can always come back if you bowed out graciously and respectfully. If an offer was not good enough and you declined, if you were gracious and respectful throughout the whole process, you can always come back and ask to be considered again.
Don't check messages throughout an interview. Checking cell messages during an interview is not a good thing.
Don't burn bridges. It is a small world.
Don't be upset if you don't get a job. There are so many people looking for jobs, don't be upset if you don't get one you interview for. There are more to apply for.
Tracey Luellen, recruiter for Telos Corp., contributed to this article.
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